Lost Her (Lost #1) (17 page)

He touches my hand and laughs lightly, “I can see that. You take them up to the Cantina and I will follow shortly after my nap.” I look down at Ryan kiss
ing him again. Then I run off to show my friends the way.

Chris and I run hand in hand just like we were five years old again to the Cantina. I run up the stairs with him following me. He grabs my waist spinning me around to embrace me. I open my eyes to see Parker sitting at a table looking at me with confusion. I spin again in Chris’s arms to see Daddy as he points to a large table at the end of the bar. I pull Chris along with me and the rest of the band follows us. I find that we are all talking at the same time while sitting in our chairs. Daddy and Rosalie come walking toward us with a tray of shots. All the men turn to look at Daddy like he was their great leader lifting their glasses to him.

Daddy speaks out, “To Confused Always, may they be prosperous enough for me to be able to retire.” We all laugh while drinking our shots. I am overjoyed with my band and father. I find myself smiling so hard that my lips hurt from the joy that I was feeling.

Chris stands up and starts unpacking the cooler onto the table with champagne glasses. I see Parker glaring past his sister to watch me and my friends. Right at that moment, Ryan climbs the stairs
turning toward me. Ryan picks up his steps to run to Chris. Ryan and Chris bear hug in a tight embrace. Chris gives Ryan a peck on the cheek while Ryan squeezes him harder. Chris breaks away and goes back in to the cooler. He points to show us that he has brought assorted cheeses and Italian meats. Then he pulls a bowl of cleaned shrimp out of the cooler and the crowd “Oohs.” Chris pulls out two cans of caviar followed by Italian style sliced bread. Lastly, he lifts up two bottles of French 1893
Veuve Clicquot
. Ryan gasps for air when he sees t
he champagne. I grab his hand pulling him down until he is sitting on my legs. Ryan speaks out, “Those two bottles right now before my face is better than any wet dream I have ever had in my life. Chris, man, did you sell your soul to the devil for them?”

Chris laughs at him, “No bro. The owner of the yacht gave them to us as a gift as well as the Almas caviar.” I felt the blood drain from my face look
ing up at Ryan who meets my eyes with utmost shock.

He looks into my eye
s leaning to my ear, “Honey, that caviar is the expensive Almas caviar in 24-karat gold tin for about $25,000, not to mention the champagne for about $800 a bottle. I want to die right now while drinking and eating.”

I look up into his eyes when he leans up. “Enjoy this moment, Ryan. We are being spoiled right now.” Chris pours the champagne into all the glasses.

Ryan jumps up holding out his glass to command attention to speak, “I am so proud of you all to follow your hearts and dreams. It took well over twenty years to get noticed and here we are celebrating with the band’s success.” He clinks his glass with Henry and all around the table to join in. We break into the caviar. It is completely amazing. I look up at Chris giving him a thumb up. Ryan is getting heavy sitting on my lap. I shift in my seat, but there is no relief with Ryan’s solid body. I tap him to show that I want to get up. He moves up so I can wiggle out from underneath him to stand up. I walk over to another table to grab a chair and I see Parker still staring over at us. I feel like I should invite him and his friends over to the table, but I decide that would be a bad judgment call if I want to keep anonymous identity within the band.

I pull the chair over with me, but I continue to stand to let the blood re-circulate in my legs after Ryan’s weight held down on my legs. Chris stares over at me looking like he wants to say something. I nudge him with my hand and he looks up to me to talking. “Heidi picked this. Her boss told her to give us the best of everything at all times.”

I see the soft
ness in Chris’s eyes as he speaks about Heidi. “You like Heidi, don’t you?” I ask.

Chris shrugs his shoulders, “Maybe, but I do not think I should follow up to see if she likes me back. I do not think her boss would like me messing around with one of his employees.”

I look at Chris. “Who is her boss?” Chris shifts around some in his seat, “Heidi’s boss is Connell.”

I drop my champagne flute to the ground and it shatters at my feet. I look right at Chris, “You mean, the great Connell. The man I followed my entire life?
Going to all his shows and listening to his music since high school.”

Chris stands up and the band looks up at him. He raises his glass, “Soundbeat would like us to open up for them for a ten city summer tour.” Shocked, I could not answer.

I think for a few seconds, “I can’t. People might figure out who I am.”

Ryan stands up rubbing my shoulders while speaking
to everyone at the table, “This is her dream! This is all still new on arrival. Livi is completely willing to do the tour as long as she is disguised. It is her destiny. I will be the best cheerleader, I mean roadie, ever!” I jump up into Ryan’s arms sobbing uncontrollably in to his chest. I am so happy but scared at the same time. I hope I can pull this off without anyone figuring it out.

Some time goes by that night, and then Chris takes me off to the side to talk. He looks slightly concerned. “We do not have to do this tour. We can continue the way we have, just producing new music and videos. If we go on tour, you would have to be disguised at all times and you know there will be fans pawing at you. Livi, I am really sure Ryan is not going to handle that type of situation well. How did he feel about our videos and your costumes?”

I look up at Chris knowing he is right. “I am doing this. We will be living a dream, riding around on a tour bus. We have always wanted to have that experience.”

Chris gives me a big hug. “What about Ryan though?” I look over at Ryan sitting at the table enjoying more food laughing with my band mates.

I shift my eyes back to Chris, “I have told him that my videos are racy and that I am scandalously dressed, but concealed. He has only seen the album cover and the magazine. I have not had the nerve to show him the videos. Things have been going so well that I did not want another fight.”

Chris eyes are weary as he looks in to mine. “You have to show him before we commit to this tour. He is going to freak out and you two are just getting back together. This is going to be a major strain on him. He may lock you away keeping you all to himself.”

I laugh at Chris’s dramatics, “Now that we are famous, do you think I can hire a doctor to keep Ryan sedated all the time?”

“Livi be serious and careful. He needs to see the artist Lizi Mac, the front woman of Confused Always and us with our crazy costumes. Let him have time to let it sink in. He has to know what he is getting into with us. Please do that before I let the agent know if we accept.”

I look back over at Ryan, “Yes, give me a few days.” Chris holds my hand
as pulls away from me to head back to the table.

He talks over his shoulder to me, “Soon, Livi, tell Ryan about us. You know his anger.”

I stand there watching the guys at the table think
ing to myself what it would be like to go on a summer tour with them. Then I hear Parker behind me and I turn to see Parker and Marcus standing at the bar.

Marcus looks at Parker then to me, “See Parker, you are wrong. She is not committed to her husband. She seems to like rough looking men.”

I cut off Marcus’s banter, “You do not know what you are talking about Marcus.”

Parker speaks, “Interesting looking friends you have there with crazy dreaded hair, tattoos and the short haired spiked Mohawk guy at the table with all those piercings in his face. I didn’t think your friends would look like that.”

“They are in a band,” I say as I’m walking away to go back to the table.

I overhear Wreck and Ryan laughing as Wreck tells Ryan about our one music video and how crazy it was to make it. Wreck continues to describe how the makeup artist made Chris look like Rob Zombie and how Chris was all smitten with his look. Ryan just keeps laughing. I sit down next to Ryan looking at his face. His eyes are all glassy as he reaches out to more champagne for himself. I lean over to him, “Ryan, are you drunk?”

He looks at me
giving me a big wet kiss, “Yes and I am not going to let this champagne spoil. Also, Wreck gave me the other tin of caviar. He said that there is plenty on the yacht.” I look at him smiling and he rubs my knee. He leans to my ear whispering, “When I get you home, I am going to rip your clothes off throwing you on the bed. Tie you up nice and tight. Taking a butter knife from the kitchen and I will slowly spread the caviar all over your body. I will feast on you, slowly licking it all off you.” He pulls his head away and I am looking into his eyes.

I turn my head to my band mates, “Well, we have to go home now. Ryan is buzzing from the champagne.” I turn my head back to Ryan return
ing a mischievous smile. I get up from the table to make our goodbyes. I grab Ryan’s hand pulling him up from the chair. I get him home fast before he gets tired and doesn’t want to follow through on his threats.

Ryan
- I wake to an alarm going off and I hit it off so as not to wake Livi. She needs to rest more after frolicking all day yesterday with her friends on the yacht. I was never so happy to have a real steak and potato meal on the yacht. Chris even allowed me to soak in his two person Jacuzzi tub for an hour. I was feeling better with my sore muscles.

It is finally Friday and Parker’s friends should be leaving when the catamaran leaves later today. I could not stand that smug Marcus and the way he looks at Livi. Maybe we will not have to say goodbye to them since we have to take Henry to the airport to return home. I can talk Livi into dinner in Limón or something. Then it dawned on me that Chris is coming with us. I can just take them both to dinner. Chris is always fun and I love to listen to the way Livi tries to prompt Chris for details on his secret romance with Heidi. Wait until I tell Livi about the woman’s thong underwear I saw on Chris’s bathroom floor. I smile to myself deciding to wait until dinner; it will be more fun to watch Chris try to backpedal when I bring it up.

I head into the kitchen setting the coffee pot up. I power it on to start grinding. A Skype call is making noise on my laptop. I run over picking up my laptop to see that it is Rosalie. I sit on the couch and tilt the screen up so it is only showing my face since I am naked. “Hi Rosalie, I see you are using the Skype on Henry’s iPad.”

She smiles, “Yes and you look so clear. This is neat. Can you take Henry to Limón much earlier today? He wants to go to the Electronics store to get me a tablet device so we can talk to each other when he is in the States. I gave him cash.”

I feel pleased that Henry wants to keep in contact with Rosalie. “Sure, that is very smart. I have to wait for Chris though, he is going with us.”

“Chris is up at my house with Henry going over details of recording another CD and signing paperwork. Oh, Ryan. Can you please purchase me one of those internet boxes and install it in my house? I do not want everyone hearing or seeing my conversations with Henry.”

She winks at me. I shiver and she notices it. “Ryan, I am a woman and I have needs. See you here soon. Goodbye.”

I start laughing thinking about why Livi refuses to Skype or video chat. I smile; it was great as I think back to that day. I was away in England for a conference so there was a time difference. I was feeling frisky so I Skyped her. She answered all smiles and I could tell from her surrounding she was in her office at the County Administrative Building. She was never very smart with the way she sets up her office. She sat always facing the window at the opposite side of her desk. She claimed it was because of sun glare on her laptop.

I started talking all dirty to her as she tried to turn down the sound on her laptop. I told her to get her ear piece from her phone to plug it into the speaker jack on the laptop. She fought me for a minute until I got a little nasty with her, but she did it. I would move the camera around on the laptop lids so Livi could she me touching myself. She started to bite her lip, so I know she was enjoying it and touching herself too. I saw her leg come up to rest over the arm of the chair. Game on, I thought to myself, she is going to do this with me. She started moaning and grinding in her chair. I had to keep reminding her to keep quiet so no one would hear her. She was getting wilder when I saw on the screen her door opened behind her. She could not hear the person because of the ear piece. I yelled at her to stop and shouted that there was someone at the door. She sat up jumping out of her seat. Paul, her associate was standing at the door with a coffee cup in hand. He verbally teased her about that day for years and sometimes even in my presence. I never stopped him because I loved to watch Livi blush in embarrassment.

I hear a noise behind me turning my head to look toward the kitchen. I see Livi sitting nude on the new table with her hair covering her breasts and her legs wide open. I knew instantly that she wanted to christen the table. I jump up obliging her desire for me.

When we finish, she is lying back on the table legs draped over the side. I leave her there getting coffee. I sit down at the table, just staring at her still lying there. She turns her head to look at me. “This table is very sturdy has no give when you moved on it.”

I smile at her. “Good, next tin of caviar I will tie you to the table instead. It will be easier to clean off. It was hell the other night trying to wipe up all the caviar that I dropped on the sheets.” She laughs
pushing herself up from the table and heads off to the bathroom. I hear the water running while I smell my coffee. I smile to myself thinking about how happy and stress free I am.

We arrive at Rosalie’s house to pick up Henry and Chris. As we are loading his luggage I notice that he forgot his bow cases. I point to the house, “Henry, you are forgetting your bow case.”

“Oh no, I am leaving it here. I will be back soon enough.” I just stand there looking at him. He gives me a wicked grin and I start laughing. The four of us climb into the Land Cruiser and we are off to Limón.

We pull up to the airport and Chris has a stunned look on his face. I put my hand on shoulder, “Chris is something wrong?”

He points to the small lime green building, “No way is that an international airport. I have been in bus stops bigger than that place.”

We all
are laughing at him and I say, “It is small, but at least this airport has free Wi-Fi.” We walk into the building while Henry checks in at the desk. I am getting ready for the tear fest from Livi, but she seems to be happy and in control of her emotions. Henry walks over to us to say goodbye.

He is squeezing Livi, “I will see you in a few weeks.”
Ah there it is the reason that is why she is not sad and sniffling up a storm. He is returning in a few weeks.

She looks up at him. “Bye Daddy, love you.” Henry releases her and shakes Chris’s hand
pulling him in to a hug.

Henry speak
s to Chris, “A few more days then you boys should get back to Los Angeles. We have press to deal with that are dying to meet you.”

Henry then walks over to me shaking his finger at me, “Ryan, you better control your anger and be nice to everyone, you hear me son?”

I reach out giving Henry a hug, “Everyone but Parker. Bye Henry.”

Henry pulls away look
ing at me, “Rosalie will keep you straight. She will keep me posted if I need to come back and straighten your ass out.” We all watch as Henry walks out to board the plane. We all stand there quietly until the plane takes off.

I turn to both Chris and Livi, “Let us go get something to eat. Livi, do you know of any good sushi restaurants?”

She looks at me laughing, “Wrong country Rye, but I know of a place that has killer ceviche.” We hop in the truck
driving to this small shack on the water.

Chris looks nervous, “Is this place safe to eat at? We can go back to the yacht and have Heidi make us some
sushi.”

Livi looks at him
raising her one eyebrow, “You missing Heidi already?”

I look at my chance to embarrass him and go with it, “Were those her panties on your bathroom floor?”

Chris turns so red in his face. “Yeah, she is really sweet.”

Livi jumps into his arms, “You really do like her. That is so awesome. Are you going to see her when you get back home?”

He looks down at his feet, “Yup and she will be going on tour with us as well, but she will kind of be working too.”

“That is wonderful,” she winks!

Chris laughs at her expression, “Don’t go and start picking out wedding gifts yet. I am taking this extremely slow; you know I do not trust myself.”

I speak up, “Man, you are not like your father and Tyler. You are gentle and you cherish women. It was you who got your mother to leave your father. You helped her. You are a good man and you know it.” We walk in to the shack and sit by the water. Livi orders us food and drinks in Spanish. That reminds me that I have to start those tutorials to learn the language if I am going to live here.

On the ride back, Livi and Chris are driving me nuts with Chris’s iPod. He is playing their music over and over again. She is singing and he is thrashing in the back seat. I speed up the truck a little faster to end this road trip before my head explodes. Livi then turns down the stereo turning to look at Chris. “Did you read over my fifty plus songs? I came up with a melody for Ice Veins. I was practicing it on the school’s piano. Do you want to hear,” she asks? She pulls her iPhone from her purse plugging it in to the stereo.

“Is this another song about me,” I ask?

She smiles, “Rye, it is always about you. This song is about an emotionally cold man who only shows his true emotions when making love.”

I am shaking my head, “That sounds about right. Livi, you are very lucky that I love you.”

Chris looks at her with bewilderment, “You are so smart that you recorded it with your phone.”

She is playing with her i
Phone. “I was going to send it to you when I had a good signal.” Then, music starts to play, just Livi and a piano. She sounds so beautiful. I knew she was talented, but hearing her sound like this was much more pleasing then her band’s music and very easy on the ears.

The song ends and Chris high fives her. “I can’t wait until this tour so we can all jam and brainstorm. It is going to rock.” I am starting to feel that this tour is going to be loud
. All of us living on a tour bus is definitely not going to be fun for me. I am going to be stuck with a bunch of forty year olds acting like they are twenty. This is really not my scene with their music stuff. Maybe I will do two cities with them. I glance over at Livi and I immediately change my mind. I am going to support her in her endeavors, which means going on the road with them.

I pull up to the Cantina seeing Parker sitting all alone at the bar. My plan had worked of returning late to not have to see his friends off. I gather Rosalie’s packages out of the truck making my way up the stairs. Rosalie shrieks with joy as she comes out of the kitchen. She runs up to me pointing to the packages, “What did you get me Ryan?” I open the bag placing a tablet and the internet hot spot on the bar for her to examine. She is excited, “When can you come up to the house and connect these? How about Monday? Livi is taking Señor Marquis to Hospital Clinica Biblica in San Jose.” I look at Rosalie confused and then Livi walks up to the bar.

I lean toward her speak
ing quietly, “You are taking Señor Marquis to the hospital on Monday?”

She has a look of surprise on her face. “I completely forgot. He is having oral surgery at the clinic to remove impacted molars and wisdom teeth. I had him make the appointment for when school was on break so I could take him in the Land Cruiser. Smoother of a ride plus I know my vehicle will make it there and back. I have been so busy with you being her
e, then my father and Chris.” I can tell she is upset with herself for forgetting this appointment. I lean in placing a small kiss on her temple.

“You are the kindest person, you know that. Did you want me to take the ride with you on Monday?” I ask.

I can see in her eyes that she would like me to go, but she shakes her head with a no in response. “Rye, to be honest, I feel horrible leaving the guys. Could you take them hiking along the shoreline? I promised them that we would go on Monday,” her voice dies off waiting for my answer.

“Sure I can. I have to help Rosalie in the morning with the tablet and internet at her house, but after that would be great. Also, I was thinking that we should take Heidi and Chris tomorrow to Limón. I want to go to the market
to come up with a plate to make for family day on Sunday,” I state.

Livi looks at me like I am crazy, “What happened to
always angry, stressed out Ryan Nora? Who is this man that wants to cook for the town?”

I wink at Livi, “You know I love to cook and I kind of get into it. It does help me relieve stress when I get to cook for fun. Oh, please remind me to get in oven temperature gauge for Rosalie’s oven tomorrow.”

She nods at me, “Will do. I am going to ask Chris right now if he wants to ask Heidi if she wants to go to Limón to the central market.” Livi walks off, leaving me at the bar with Parker.

Rosalie joins us pouring me a drink. I nod at her to show my gratitude for the drink. “Rosalie, Monday I can take care of the tablet in the morning at your house. Can I use the kitchen tomorrow night? I want to prepare a dish for Sunday. What should I make?”

She looks at me for a moment, “I have a list for some supplies to prepare that fresh pork. I was thinking about making pork tamales, do you think you could pick me up the supplies while in Limón?”

I laugh, “Sure, as long as I do not need the box truck to pick up your order. But seriously, what should I make?”

She looks to be thinking pretty hard, “How about real pasta in a meat sauce? Pasta seems to fill up everyone nicely. I got meat and canned tomatoes if you want to start the sauce now.”